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Topic: Hardest Episode 1 figure to find? (Read 10316 times)

I'm in the process of packing up my collection room for the time being ( ) and was looking at some of my figures... and I was just wondering, what Episode 1 figure did you have the hardest time finding?

For me, since I'm a variation collector, I would have to say the Yoda w/Episode 1 Text was by far the hardest figure for me to find. Even though I am still trying to find an affordable loose Amidala Ascension and Pit Droid 2 pack, I could have had 20 of each back in the day, but didn't feel like paying the $10 each price at FAO Schwartz (if I only knew then what I know now, eh?)....

My "hardest to find" Episode 1 Figure was the stupid "Swimming Jar-Jar". I think he was 1-per-case in that box and I kept just missing him.

I'd find Soft Goods Qui-Gon and Damaged Droideka, but that dang Gungan eluded me to the very end. I lucked out and stumbled into a cache of the HTF Collection 2 and 3 figures (Sio, Ascention Maidala, Pit Droids, R2-B1, TC-14), but that stupid "swimming JarJar" took a while.

I had to order TC-14 and R2-B1 from an online store since I never found them at retail. Never did see the Yoda with Ep. I text.

I found Amidala w/ Ascension Gun, Sio, and the Pit Droids on sale at Target for $3 a piece, and they had a bunch there. I bought two sets, and traded off the Pit Droids for a Mynock Hunt set that I couldn't find during the Great Purge. I stumbled onto Swimming Jar Jar easily too. I actually had a harder time getting the Droideka from that wave.

These were never available in Canada, as I'm sure Jesse knows. Another example of Hasbro Canada dumping the line before it actually stops, most infuriating. But once I began trading I ended up with very few problems finding any of these.

Amidala was tough and she didn't come cheap trade-wise, though I only paid $3 CAD for my loose version. Actually I got the entire Ep I run for $3 CAD per figure, so while I inherited a lot of crap with it, it balanced out quite well in the end. I traded a lot of the commons 2 for 1. One what? Red ARC trooper.

I've had six holo Sidious go through my hands at one point or another. I'd always take this kind of stuff as trade fare and he seemed remarkably common on the secondary market.

The only thing I paid above retail for was the pit droid two pack, the last piece I needed. Then I got my loose version in the set I bought. Sio was kind of tough, I've only ever negotiated for my loose and one carded. Never had extras of that. Never had extras of the swimming Jar Jar either, but never wanted them.

For me it was pretty much that Sio Bibble, Red Goatee Naboo Guard, Holo Sidious wave. I did see it at retail once and bought it. I didn't like the ascension gun Padme or pit droid 2 pack and left those.

The last wave of each collection was universally hard to find, and if you're going to go with the accesory sets as well, since they have the same card size, the second wave is harder to find than any of the figures.

I only saw the Jar Jar wave once in any store; the amidala wave I saw everywhere-I have an extra set of those- I saw the droid wave in 2 different Kmarts- I had a chance to get 4 sets of these but one store got a damaged case that crushed all the cards and bubbles.

I would have to say that Light Up Holo Darth Maul. Although not necessarily considered one of the 3.75" figures, I never managed to get one.

As far as standard carded figures, I would say the later waves (Sio Bibble, Battle Amidala TC-14) were the toughest, but that was when I was ordering cases of figures from Newforce, so it wasn't too hard for me.

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